Electrical terminals with springs have in common the fact that they, as a rule, are connection terminals, i.e., that they include two draw springs each that are electrically connected together via an electrically-conducting connection rail (contact piece). Further, such terminals possess conductor-insertion apertures and actuation apertures for insulating housing for series terminals that are usually located on the front side of the series terminals for front wiring. The upper side of the terminal is that side of a conventional embodiment form which is missing the installation foot usually provided for engagement with a carrier rail.
Such insulating housings for screwless electrical terminals with conductor-insertion apertures and actuation apertures for the insertion of a tool to open the conductor connection elements are generally known from the State of the Art. In particular, there are known insulating housings that have actuation apertures that serve first as a guide channel to release tools and second as insertion apertures for conductors to be connected and that allow insertion and extraction of the conductor for the conductor-guide channel. The tool is usually an insulated screwdriver that, when inserted, enables the opening of the terminal (release of the conductor) for the pertinent conductor by means of a levering action or pressure on the conductor-connection element. Such an electrical terminal with a terminal-spring connection that ensures positive actuation in a simple fashion using an actuation tool is revealed in DE 196 02 945 A1.
It is known from DE 24320084 A1 for the insulating housing to include a conductor-insertion and actuation aperture. The terminal leg of the spring terminal is pivoted by means of the tool inserted through the actuation aperture.
Further developments of the actuation aperture may be taken from DE 94 14939 U1. To protect the conductor-connection element from damage by the actuation tool, the insertion channel possesses a moveable insulating wall on its lower end. Under that condition, the safety of the operator may be ensured during insertion of a metallic tool.
Screwless electrical series terminals of various designs, for example Spring Terminal Spring-pressure series modules, are known under the name “CLIPLINE” from the product catalog “Innovationen in Interface” TNR S 114674/01.05.00-00 of the company Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co, Blomberg, Germany. Such terminals include conductor-insertion and actuation apertures.
All embodiment types of the State of the Art have in common the fact that the actuation apertures are positioned to be frontally accessed but relatively close adjacent to, or behind, the conductor-insertion apertures. The installer thus has the best view of the connection points during connection of the electrical conductors. There are also embodiment examples where narrow test apertures for a voltage tester are located between the conductor-insertion apertures and the actuation apertures. See DE 94 14 939 U1 for an example.
A disadvantage for screwless electrical series terminals is the large number of apertures that result, especially when a large number of series terminals are to be mounted on a common rail in line and/or in a three-level embodiment. Confusion of conductor-insertion apertures and the actuation apertures may occur during insertion of electrical conductors to be connected, or during operation of the spring-force terminal.
A further disadvantage is the fact that series terminals with similar external appearance may be equipped inside the insulating housing that possesses differing conductor-connection elements, which is hard to recognize from without. The differing conductor-connection elements may, for example, consist of cage, loop, pivot, or sheet springs.
It is therefore the task of the invention to present a technical solution that allows a reduction of the large number of apertures of screwless electrical series terminals and to present the installer with optical assistance by placing only apertures of conductors to be connected on the upper side of the series terminal, whereby actuation apertures for the spring-force terminals using a screwdriver remain concealed.